Resurrection Night
by BatboyBlogger
Summary: Batman and his allies answer an alarm and face the return of an old friend
1. Chapter 1

Bruce Wayne, the Batman, sits behind the wheel of the massive black armored car that generations of Robins nicknamed the Batmobile. Rain beats against the roof as he tools slowly down the abandoned back streets of Gotham. His eyes travel over the computer screens displaying chatter from the JLA, and Gotham PD. It's a quiet night, not so much as a convenience store robbery all night. He briefly thought of calling it a night, but he and Damian weren't speaking at the moment because the boy had, again, stolen the Batmobile and gone out by himself. Batman both loved and hated nights like this, because they let him glimpse a future where he wouldn't need to dress up and fight crime, but what would he do the day after that day came? His moment of self reflection is interrupted by a blaring alarm that fills the cabin of the Batmobile. Each of the computer screens blank out and even the windows flash red, with two bolded words flashing on every screen as a robotic voice repeats them over the screaming alarm "Protocol Beta".

Batman has hundreds of plans and alerts but only a handful that would interrupt everything like this. This one makes his blood run cold; this one is the stuff of nightmares. He reaches out and deafly presses a button, and the alarm and flashing lights die, another button press and the computer has calculated the fasted route to where he needs to be, ETA ten minutes. The massive black monster of the Batmobile makes the corner onto a main street and starts to accelerate. Batman reaches up and flips a switch that turns on the radio

"This is Zulu one to Gotham actual," he said to the GCPD central dispatch.

"Um, this is Gotham actual," came a nervous voice "go ahead Zulu one."

"I need the streets from west 40th down cleared, now."

"Acknowledged Zulu one, street clearing protocols underway."

He flicked off the radio and punched down the accelerator, jets of fire coming out of the back of the Batmobile as it climbs over 100 miles an hour. ' _I won't be too late, I can't be too late again, not for him,_ ' Bruce thinks desperately to himself

On a rooftop somewhere in the city, Tim Drake - Red Robin - looks out at the sky line thinking idle thoughts: ' _Maybe I should call Kon, or Bart, or Cassie_ ' - but it's already after midnight and they liked to sleep, weirdos. There's a beeping in his ear. Tim reaches up and presses the small hearing aid shaped device in his right ear. "Protocol Beta" it repeats over and over till he presses it again. In a smooth leap he jumps down to the ally below and mounts his red motorcycle. In seconds he's speeding along the streets of Gotham, the city a blur around him, his cape flying out behind him.

' _Once a Robin always a Robin._ '

Across the bay in Bludhaven, Dick Grayson - Nightwing - is looking at the hulking shadow of Gotham City. Though he'd have never confessed this even under torture, he misses it. Not being Robin - taking orders from Bruce every night would be a nightmare. No, Tim filled the role of Robin better than he ever did and Damian needed it more than Dick had. What he missed was Gotham itself, its smell, its rawness, almost a living animal, violent and wild, but sometimes beautiful in a terrible way. Bludhaven was a dead body with scavengers picking at it, it was his city but Gotham still and maybe always would have his heart. A loud beeping fills his ear till he lifts his left hand to press the device in that ear: "Protocol Beta".

He only needs to hear it once before clicking it off and running down the fire escape, off the roof top and to the ground, then down half a block to his car, never slowing down. It looks like a normal Ford Charger in black, parked on the street like any other car. He slides in behind the wheel, flipping a switch. The windows and windshield black themselves out, no one can see in but Dick can see out. A second switch and the blue Nightwing symbol materializes on the hood and the doors 'should take care of the cops, at least once I'm in Gotham' he thinks, pulling out and gunning it for the bridge to Gotham City.

' _Hang in there kid, I'm coming._ '

In the Bat Cave, Damian Wayne sat and brooded, sharpening his sword. He did his best to ignore Titus' massive head in his lap and the huge dog's doleful eyes staring up at him. He knew if he gave in and played with the dog his mood would improve and he was too far into being angry at his father to allow that, just yet. He just couldn't understand why his father was mad ' _after all, I'm the best trained Robin ever always treats me like a child_ '. He sharpens the blade in his hands with frustrated strokes. Damian nearly drops his sword when the whole cave lights up with flashing red lights and blaring alarm sounds. The massive computer banks in the center of the cave flash to life dozens of screens all showing the same red flashing message: "Protocol Beta".

Damian knows what that means, and at once his head snaps around to look at the glass case under the spotlight, with the red, green and yellow uniform standing over a plaque that says "A Good Solider". Protocol Beta is the codename for a grave robbery of Jason Todd's finally resting place. Damian Wayne has never thought much of the other Robins, especially the one who managed to get himself killed. He knows he's a better Robin than they were, light years ahead of where Grayson or Drake were when they started as Robin, still light years ahead of Drake for that matter. However, someone was digging up a Robin was an insult to the uniform, the legacy, and an insult to Robin; Damian was Robin and didn't leave insults unanswered. He briefly considered the fact he was grounded, but no one was grounded from this. Putting on the mask that went with his uniform and sheathing his sword he took the stairs up to the manor two at a time.

The Batmobile roars up to the gates of the graveyard and barely has stopped moving before Batman is out of the car and striding through into graveyard itself. Half way to Jason's grave he's met by Red Robin his Bo staff out as he calmly scans in every direction.

"Red Robin, Report," Batman nearly barks, not breaking step.

Tim jogs to keep pace, "Robin, Batgirl and Spoiler are checking the perimeter. No one brought earthmoving equipment through either gate, I put off going to the grave itself till you got here."

Batman taps the side of his head, "Oracle?"

"Yeah Bruce, there's no activity on the gate cameras, the perimeter motion detectors are quiet, the cameras and motion detectors at the grave itself are also clear."

Batman and Red Robin are standing at the foot of the grave now looking at the obelisk baring Jason Todd's name and birth and death dates. Nightwing came running up to stand next to them as they looked at the grave, nothing out of place.

"Oracle," Batman said, "confirm what triggered the alarm."

"The sensors in the coffin reported a breach."

"In?"

"Yeah… and then about a minute ago, there was a breach of the coffin lid on the outside."

"What about the sensors on the body?"

"Um, it's hard to tell, something is interfering with them, the kind of readings I'd get if they were going underwater."

Batman looks at Nightwing, they've been partners for so long the same thought flashes through their minds, the first rule of detective work ' _when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth_ '. At the same moment they throw themselves on the grave their black gloved hands ripping up clods of earth, Tim Drake is right behind them. Three sets of hands tear at the earth they don't speak the dumb beat of the unspoken prayer 'please don't be too late'drives them forward.

Then, exploding into the night is a pale white hand and an arm covered in a suit jacket. Dirt and mud cover the hand and arm as it claws at the air for the a second before the powerful hands of Batman and Nightwing grab it from either side and Tim Drake grabs both of their shoulders as the three of them pull with all their might. The small, skinny figure flies from the dirt as the four of them collapse in a heap.

The boy in the suit, his face a mess of tears, blood, and muddy earth, wraps his arms around Batman's chest as the big man pulls him close, instinctively covering him with his cape.

The boy's voice was hoarse, like he's been screaming: "Bruce… I knew you'd come for me…"


	2. Chapter 2

In the Bat Cave, six heroes stand and sit in a loose circle: Bruce Wayne (The Batman), Dick Grayson (his first Robin, now Nightwing), Tim Drake (his third Robin, and now Red Robin), Damian Wayne (his fifth and current Robin), Stephanie Brown (the fourth Robin, now Spoiler again), and Cassandra Cain (the second Batgirl). No one has said anything in the half an hour since they brought the unconscious boy into the cave. No one has used the name since Dick shouted "JASON!" when the boy fainted in Bruce's arms in the graveyard. The small, black haired figure was on a gurney a few feet away being tended to by Alfred. Alfred Pennyworth had only allowed himself a single shocked gasp before taking the boy out of Master Bruce's arms and getting to work. He wiped his forehead and finished his last bandage, having done all he could before he walked toward the brooding figures standing near the computer banks.

"Master Bruce I've treated… _his_ more superficial injuries, however, his head wound is very serious, and will need surgical attention. This is far past my abilities, so I've taken the liberty of paging Dr. Thompkins. She should be here momentarily."

"I'm already here."

An impressively tall and thin woman walked out of the shadows with a black medical box in hand. Her shock of white hair matched her doctor's lab, and her gray eyes searched the room, briefly locking onto and noting every member of the family standing and healthy.

"So who's the patient?"

"Over here," Alfred said, leading the way as the family drifted after them.

Before, they couldn't stand to get too close, and now that the doctor was here they couldn't stand away.

She took one look at his face and gasped, "oh my god that's…" she looked around at each of them before schooling her face into a professional mask; she has a job to do, a person to take care of, and the rest of it was Bruce's calling, not hers. She set down her bag and clicked it out, pulling out a pen light and checking his pupil dilation.

' _Blue eyes,_ ' she thought. "Excellent triage work as always, Mr. Pennyworth."

"Thank you, Dr. Thompkins." Only maybe the six people around them would have known that was an affectionate exchange

"But you're right, he has a bleed into the skull cavity, and we're going to need to open the skull up to release pressure. Alfred, is the surgical theater prepped?"

"Yes doctor."

"Alright, you wheel… our patient, and then scrub up to assist."

With only a nod Alfred started wheeling the gurney away.

Leslie Thompkins turned ,"Tim?"

The boy looked up, "yeah Leslie?"

"Take those muddy gloves off, and go scrub up, I'm gonna need all the help I can get and after Alfred you're the best nurse here."

"Yes Ma'am."

After Dr. Thompkins and Tim left, the rest of them stood in silence once again for a long moment, before Dick Grayson couldn't take it any more

"What, are we just not going to talk about how what happened… _is_ happening right now?"

Bruce shot him a cold look.

"Oh come on! Bruce, even you're not that cold!"

"We don't know what is happening right now, Dick."

"You _saw_ him Bruce, you saw his face, you heard his voice… Bruce… that's Jason in there."

"We don't know that!" Bruce roared, before more calmly adding, "there are ways of faking those things Dick, ways to make things look different, magic, cloning, we've all seen tricks like this before."

"Not even you can possibly be so emotionally handicapped that you can't.."

"This isn't about me!"

The two were nose to nose, yelling into each other's faces at this point before a loud whistle broke through the cave and they both turned towards the sound. Sitting in her wheelchair with her red hair up in a messy bun and staring at them over the top of her glasses was Barbara Gordon, the Oracle.

"As much fun as it is to watch the one-thousandth episode of the Dick and Bruce Show," she said as she rolled forward, bumping fists with Cass, getting a half arm hug from Steph and ruffling Damian's hair, "I've been working on getting answers to Bruce's worries."

Dick looked hurt, but she ignored him: "I asked a few old friends to examine the grave site."

Bruce glared at her: "You brought heroes into _my_ city without my permission?" he snarled, towering over her.

One of Babs' eye brows cocked, and for a second this dominative woman with thick glasses sitting in a wheelchair is every bit as intimidating as the six foot tall man in body armor. "

" _Our_ city, Bruce," her tone gives nothing away, "like I said, old friends: Ray Palmer and Ted Kord for the science, and Zatanna for the magic. Ray and Ted report that there's no sign of any known from of teleportation used to get in or out of the coffin, and Zatanna says there's been no detectable form of magic used anywhere in the graveyard. Ted and Ray have also been running tests on blood samples and the finger nails from the coffin lid, they say the DNA shows none of the tell tale signs of cloning or any known form of artificial life. Most interesting though is that their preliminary DNA results show a perfect match between the fresh samples and necrotic samples in the coffin."

"Necrotic?" Stephanie said with disgust, "does that mean what I think it does?"

"Dead, yeah," Babs replied, "Ted says they can say with a high degree of confidence that a human body has been decomposing in that coffin for at least 5 years, and that right now all the evidence points to that being the same person who crawled out of it tonight."

They all absorbed this in silence.

Bruce is the first to break it: "Just because who ever that is broke out of that coffin tonight, doesn't mean he's Jason Todd, and even if he is, doesn't mean he's our Jason. We've all seen alternate realities and their effect on our world."

Dick spluttered and looked ready to start fighting all over again when Barbara lifted her hand, "Dick, he's right, till we can look at his body and talk to him we can't be sure, we just have to wait till Leslie's done, ok?"

He still looked rebellious and she continued: "How about you bring me upstairs and help me fix sandwiches and coffee for every one? Come on hot stuff, you're the only one other than Alfred that can work that coffee maker."

She led him away upstairs, no doubt to listen to at least an hour's worth of complaining.

The next few hours were tense and quiet, with no one talking much. Damian and Stephanie played with Damian's animals, Cassandra meditated, Dick paced the cave, Barbara sat, sipping her coffee barely moving a muscle while watching Bruce, who sat in the chair in front of the computer not moving or truly looking at anything.

Most of the night later, Dr. Leslie Thompkins came back into the room, peeling bloodied rubber gloves off her hands. "

So?" Bruce said.

"We won't know till he wakes up for sure if there's any damage. However, we caught the bleed early, and if he's who I think he is, he's young and healthy and I've seen him through nearly as bad before. I'm cautiously optimistic -" she let that hang in the air "- as for what you're really asking 'is that Jason Todd in there?' I took the liberty of doing some detective work. When he first came in, Alfred took his fingerprints, all ten of them perfect matches for his prints on file here, a full DNA test will take 24 hours but all the quick tests show a match. Now we get into the X-files stuff. Alfred documented all of Jason's injuries when he came in."

She slapped two pictures down onto the computer's counter top they were clearly of the same bruise.

"That one-" she pointed to the picture on the left "- I took at Jason Todd's postmortem exam 5 years ago, that one -" she pointed to the one on the right "- Alfred took of the boy in recovery 7 hours ago. Discounting the injuries to his hands, every bruise and laceration on that boy's body is in the same place is the same size and coloration as I found on Jason Todd 5 years ago. Also, his height and weight are exactly the same as Jason's at his postmortem, down to the micron. What's more, we took samples from the burns, and they're a one to one match to the samples we took off Jason's body 5 years ago; the computer thinks they are the same sample."

Every one sat and stared at her.

"My conclusion is that I can't think of a way some on could fake in such detail those injuries, you can't make an explosion behave the same way twice and you can't fake someone being blown up, so all things being equal, I believe that is Jason Todd."

Bruce turned away, "we'll have to see when we talk to him"

More hours of waiting: Damian was asleep against Titus, Cass was either meditating or sleeping sitting up, Steph had gone upstairs to sleep in Tim's room, Tim was dozing against a wall, Dick was sitting with his head in Barbara's lap as she played with his hair, and only Bruce hadn't moved.

Dr. Thompkins entered from the recovery room: "he's coming around, we're going to want to do an interview to check for brain damage."

Dick and Tim rose to their feet.

"Only Bruce right now," she said, raising her hands to stop them before looking at Bruce, who slowly got to his feet and followed her.

Once they were safely out of ear shot, he asked "why me and not Dick?"

"Because as much as I think you're being an stubborn ass, you're the last one who doesn't believe that it's Jason so you're the only one who can look at this clearly. Plus, if you turn into a big pile of mush I thought you'd like some privacy."

They stepped through the door and Bruce looked at the tiny form in the bed. Covered in bandages and drowning in the bed spread, wires and tubes coming out of him everywhere, he looked so small and broken. One swollen eye blinked open slowly, an unfocused blue eye staring out at the room.

Leslie stepped forward and took a seat by the bed, "Can you hear me?"

The boy's voice was weak and small, "yes."

"What is your name?"

"Jason."

"Jason what?"

"Todd, Jason Todd is my name."

"Do you know who this is?" she said pointing at Bruce standing at the foot of the bed.

"Bruce Wayne."

"And who is Bruce Wayne?"

"My dad."

"… and what else?"

"Batman."

"Do you know who you are, Jason?"

"I'm Robin."

Bruce sank into the chair on the other side of the bed, his head dropping into the blankets as he started to cry, "Jason, Jay I'm sorry, so sorry I shouldn't have I won't force you to.." a hand softly rested on his head, "You kiddin' Bruce? We got work to do…" and he drifted off to sleep again.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been six weeks, six weeks of healing and physical therapy, and Jason Todd was ready – really, really ready.

"Come on Bruce!" he whined as he dramatically planted his chin onto Batman's shoulder. He made his blue eyes as big as he could looking up Bruce, who didn't look away from the computer screen. Jason rolled his eyes and sighed before doing two back-flips away from the chair. The two big curls that framed his face bounced as he landed and he was reminded that the one on the left was nearly totally white now. He wasn't sure if he was going to dye it or not; a 15 year old with white hair was not cool.

"Come on, boss man! I'm as good as new, give me a mission! I want out there, Bruce! If I stay one more night at home, I'll lose my mind!"

"Jason, six weeks ago you had major surgery, not to mention a dozen or more fractures and cracked bones."

Jason waved his hand dismissively, "yeah yeah, and both Alfred and Doc Leslie say I'm good to go!"

"I believe what Dr. Thompkins said was that you were ready to start 'limited action'."

"Close enough! Come on Bruce!"

There's a long silence where Bruce kept working, not looking at Jason who hopped from foot to foot.

"Tim?" Bruce said not looking toward the corner of the cave where Tim Drake has been checking his utility belt and trying to act like he hadn't been listening in.

"Yeah Bruce?"

"You're going on patrol tonight; take Jason."

Before Tim could react, Jason cut in, "Oh no, Bruce come on! I can fly solo! I want to fly solo!"

"Absolutely not."

Jason stewed on that for a second before continuing, "Well why can't I go out with you? Come on Damian is having a sleep over with his little ginger friend. You and me, Batman and Robin like old times!"

"I have Justice League business; I'll be off world for the evening"

"Well… what about Dick? What's Dick doing? I haven't seen him all week, Nightwing and Robin on patrol!"

"Dick is in Bludhaven."

"Awesome! I can take on Bludhaven, that sound fun!"

Bruce slowly turned his head and gave Jason one of those icy Batman looks that had a way of shutting down all conversation.

"Fine, I'll go out with… Tim," Jason said, looking at his feet.

' _Jeez, try not to sound so thrilled,_ ' Tim thought sarcastically.

Tim had really wanted to like Jason, after all he'd only been working his whole career to live up to Jason's legacy and his sacrifice. The kid was all bubbly talking with Bruce, Dick and Alfred, chattering away, but if he and Tim had said ten words to each other since they met Tim would eat his cape. Not that Jason was any better with Damian, but Damian was, well, Damian.

'Well maybe he just doesn't like new people and this patrol is just what we need to get over it,' Tim thought as he took a deep breath and walked over to the rebellious looking boy.

Getting close to him, Tim was again shocked by how small he was. Tim wasn't tall, in fact he was short for his age, but even though he was only a year older than Jason he was nearly a foot taller. Jason was barely taller than Damian as a matter of fact 'and he's as skinny as Bart' Tim thought, 'smaller feet though.'

"Soooo…" he said, looking over Jason's jeans, gray hoodie and white sneakers, "I think my original Robin outfit is around here somewhere that should fit you."

Jason looked him in the eye for the first time and there was something there Tim couldn't place.

" _Your_ uniform? What's wrong with the _original_?"

Tim had never understood how or why Dick had run around in those scaly underpants and pixie boots. He'd assumed that Jason would want something a little more dignified.

"Um, I guess nothing's wrong with it, um, suit up and see you by the cars?"

"Yeah, be right there," then Jason mumbled something Tim didn't catch. He let it go and hurried to the car bay.

He pulled the dust cover off the Robinmobile, really it was just a red sports car with a supped up engine and the Robin R painted on the doors. Jason's room had been covered in posters of fast sports cars for as long as Tim could remember so he figured Jason would like this, maybe put him in a better mood. Jason arrived a moment latter, bright yellow cape, pixie boots and green undies and all. Somehow, with his arms and legs exposed, he looked even smaller.

Tim waved his arm at the car, "our ride."

For a second, Jason looked awed and impressed before schooling his face, "okay, I'll drive."

"What?" the thought of Jason driving had never crossed Tim's mind; he wasn't even sure Jason could drive, he was 15 after all.

"I said I'll drive."

Tim just looked at him.

"I'm older, I'll drive."

'Oh so that's what this is about,' Tim thought, "no not on your life, I'm driving."

"But…"

"Nope, my car, I drive. Deal with it, kid."

Jason crossed around the car and got into the passenger seat, pulling his knees up to his chest and covering himself in the cape looking pouty and sullen.

' _Well, this is off to a great start,_ ' Tim thought as he got behind the wheel and drove out of the cave.

The next four hours went much the same way. Jason found a way to criticize or snark about everything Tim did, from rope swinging to driving. They'd had the same argument about who was older at least four times. Jason firmly and unshakably believed that because he was born five years before Tim he was older and should be treated like a 20 year old not a 15 year old. Tim had yet to find a nice way of saying that he'd been dead for five years; he didn't age, so years when you're not alive don't count.

On a rooftop across from a 24-hour convenience store, Tim looked through his binoculars to count four robbers with shot guns and hand guns.

"Okay," he said, turning to Jason next to him, "I'll take the front, you take the back door, go through make sure no one is back there, and then we meet in the middle."

Jason gave him a long, cold look: "Let's get one thing straight, replacement, I don't take orders from you and I know what I'm doing, got it?"

Tim blinked, and before he could open his mouth, Jason had pulled out his grappling gun and fired a line onto a building and swung down, crashing through the plate glass front window of the store feet first.

"Jesus Christ!" Tim shouted, staying on the roof just long enough to see Jason roll before springing up a tiny pixie booted foot, which connected with the first man's chin.

Then, Tim leaped down himself swinging and grabbing a hulking man before punching him hard. The man he was fighting with was over 6 feet tall and looked like he was made of muscles. Tim Drake, however, was fast and strong. He whipped out his bo staff and struck the man over and over at lightning speed.

As his opponent dropped, Tim twisted around to find Jason. The boy was fighting a third man, bouncing off him, the floor and the roof, always in motion. Jason was landing punches and kicks all over while the man couldn't seem to touch him. Jason leaped up to land a punch to the man's nose, which broke, and the man staggered before sitting down hard on his ass. Jason smiled and never noticed the fourth man leveling his handgun at Jason's back.

Tim saw it though, and in a second he had a Batarang out before throwing it. The black metal bit into the flesh of the man's hand and he screamed as he dropped the gun and grabbed his bleeding hand. Tim Drake hit him like a freight train, two hard blows to his jaw and the criminal was out cold. He didn't say anything to Jason as he checked the back door: no one in the back store room or in the alley behind the store; they were lucky that way. They swung off onto the roof tops not stopping or speaking for over a block of roofs as Tim seethed. He didn't care anymore, not about how Bruce and Dick talked about Jason, not about the Robin legacy, nothing other than this kid had been a little shit all evening and now almost got himself killed, again. He stopped taking a few deep breaths and getting ready to do his best Batman talking to. Tim turned around and what he was about to say died in his throat. Jason had a cigarette between his lips a pack of them in his hands as he struggled with a lighter to light the thing.

"What is that?!" Tim barked.

"Cigarette, you want one?"

"What? NO! You are 15!"

"No, I'm 20."

Tim stormed over and with one move struck the cigarette out of Jason's mouth and the lighter and pack from his hands.

"You are _15_! Where did you even get those?"

"I pulled them out of the back pocket of one of those thugs back there"

"Unbelievable! What is wrong with you? Honestly what is wrong with you? All night you've been on my back, and now this, what the hell, what did I do to deserve this night?"

Jason glared at him for a minute and then took a swing at him. Tim hadn't expected that he blocked it, but the kid was fast amazingly fast. The two Robins twisted and dodged, blocking and trading blows till Tim landed a kick that drove Jason across the roof. They stood looking at each other panting, before circling each other slowly. Then, Jason charged across the roof full tilt, and Tim barely had time to brace himself before Jason hit him, knocking him down. Tim expected to be punched in face, but Jason started to pound on his chest, not the blows of a trained warrior, but the flailing of a child. He looked up at Jason's face and saw tears running down his cheeks.

"Jason?"

The boy stumbled off Tim, falling to his knees a few feet away and starting to cry loudly. Tim got to his feet slowly and walked toward Jason like he was a wounded animal "Jason, um, Jay, buddy, what's going on?"

Jason let out a low sob, "it's not fair."

"What's not fair?" But Tim had a pretty good idea.

"You know I had friends? In school, not a lot of friends or anything, but some. You know what they're up to now? They're in college, turning 21, they're adults now. The worst part is it's not like I can call them up and be like 'hey remember that weird kid you were friends with who died in our freshman year? I'm alive again!' even if I could, why would they want to hang out with some kid? That should be me Tim! I should be in college! I should be turning 21! I should be going to bars and being an adult~ I should be Nightwing or firebird or whatever, but here I am!" Jason looked up at him, tears running down his face "and you know the worst part? You, you're the worst part Tim."

"Look Jason, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to replace you…"

"You think that's what this is about? Come on Tim, I was theSecondRobin, I knew I'd be replaced. No, I come back and I got no life Tim, all my school friends have grown up, my civilian life, gone. All I had was these stupid little boots and this cape. The thing that got me up in the mornings was the thought of being out here. Then I find out about you. Look at you, I wake up and my replacement isolderthan me, hell you've been Robin longer than I ever was!" he looked down and spoke the next part quietly, "and you're just better at it than I am."

"Hey Jay, that's not true."

"BS, you made your own uniform, I was always too scared of living up to Dick to change anything about it, you founded a superhero team, you figured out who Batman was, I didn't know even when I lived with Bruce!" Jason licked his lips and looked out over the roof tops "I lied, you're not the worst part Tim. The way he looks at me is the worst part. Bruce was always telling me I was too impulsive that it'd get me killed, and it did. I left him Tim, you know what he's like, how well he takes abandonment? He'll never forgive me, ever. He looks at me, and he doesn't see a Robin anymore. He sees the screw up that got me killed. That's all I am to him."

"That's not true, Jason. He loves you, you know that, I'm sure he still thinks of you as a Robin."

Jason looked up at Tim, the tears flowing more freely, "if that's true, what are you doing here? He doesn't trust me anymore Tim, he gave me a babysitter. How long is it gonna be till he decides I'm not good enough at all? How long till he takes this away from Tim?" he pulled at the uniform shirt, "Timmy this is all I got, I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Jason crumples as if someone pulled a string and sobs into his knees. Tim stood in shock for a moment before sinking to his knees it front of Jason and lifting his head in his hands.

"Jason, you listen to me, you're good enough, that doesn't depend on any one but you, and I swear to you, I won't let anyone take this away from you, not even Bruce" Tim sat on that roof holding Jason for a long time, yellow and black capes over lapping.


	4. Chapter 4

Every day for a week after that night on the roof top, Tim and Jason had gone out together. Swinging from building to building, joking and laughing, it had been a blast that reminded Tim of the raw joy of being Robin. Jason's costume was still embarrassing with its short shorts and pixie boots, but Tim was almost used to it now. Now, however, the thing Tim worried about from day one was happening, as _he_ was putting his foot down to stop Jason from being Robin once and for all.

"You are absolutely not going out tonight, or ever again, as Robin."

"Aw, come on Damian," Jason said, smiling at the small boy who glared at him with his arms crossed.

"No there is only one Robin - me! - I won't have you running around embarrassing my name all over this city."

Jason rolled his eyes, "ooookay", he said sarcastically, "I'll come up with a new name, whatever."

"And a new uniform."

"What? Why they're not even the same costume!"

"Thanks to you and Grayson that circus outfit is too recognizable as Robin, doesn't matter what you call yourself, people will see those stupid shorts and think Robin."

Jason sighed heavily, "fine," he grabbed Tim's arm, "I guess we're staying in tonight to name and costume brain storm."

Tim went and grabbed a pen and a note book, flipping it open, "alright, got any ideas Jason?"

"I've got one," Damian said with an evil smile, "how about Deadman?"

Tim shot daggers at him, but Jason didn't react, "sorry D, already taken, and I'd hate to explain to the body snatching ghost why I thought it was cool to steal his name."

"What about Eagle?" Tim said, hoping to get this back on track.

Jason gave him a look, "Eagle? Dude, have you seen me? I'm not even 5 feet tall; I don't really think I can carry that off."

Damian let out a mean natured snigger.

"What about Hawk?" Jason tried.

"Taken," Tim said, "remember, Hawk and Dove?"

"Oh yeah, those guys, um, girls now?"

"Who can keep track?"

"I have another one," Damian piped up, "what about Zombie Lad?"

Tim let a low growl out, but Jason just blandly said, "has potential little bird, put a pin in that one."

Alfred opened the door into the manor and took a few steps down into the cave, "Young Master Damian? Young Mister Wilkes arrived a moment ago, and he took the liberty of showing himself to your room."

"Oh no," Damian gasped, leaping up and running for the stairs, "if he plays Doom he'll have nightmares and Sister Agnes will kill me!"

He bounded up the stairs to the Manor but stopped at the door to turn back, "what about the name Crowbar?" he shouted before ducking through the door way and disappearing.

Tim lunged to go after him but Jason put his hand on Tim's arm. "Doesn't that little shit bug you?"

Jason was quiet for a moment, looking up at where Damian had exited, "Tim, you've never had to deal with the feeling that everyone liked the guy you replaced a lot more than they like you… so where we on a name?"

"Well let's see, other than Zombie Lad, nowhere, um, what about Goldfinch?"

"Hm, it's okay, but yellow isn't really my color."

"Okay, what is your color?"

"Well green is my favorite, but I want to get away from the whole Robin color pallet, you know?"

"Okay, so no to red, green and yellow."

Jason looked thoughtful, before nodding at the stairs, "was that you, by the way?"

"What, Colin? Yeah, I texted him when Damian started throwing a fit."

Jason nodded slowly, "smart move. Blue, I think, I think that's what I want."

"Blue, Jay? For the costume?"

Jason's face broke into an ear to ear grin, "and we got a name!"

"Huh?"

"Bluejay!" Tim's smile matched Jason's, "awesome!"

He grabbed Jason's arm and dragged him deeper into the cave, "let's look at the costume odds and ends, see what we can put together."

Sitting on the floor, they sorted through dozens of masks, capes, boots and other costume detritus.

"Do you think I should dye this?" Jason said, pointing at the large white streak in his hair,

Tim leaned forward and twisted a lock of the white hair between his fingers, thinking about the question.

He let go and rocked back, "I don't know, I mean, if you want to, what color were you thinking?" he looked at Jason who had a glassy and unfocused look in his eyes,

"Ja-" that's all Tim got out because Jason lunged forward and kissed him straight on the lips. Tim's eyes bugged out of his head and placed both hands firmly on his friend's chest and pushed him off.

"Wow, wow, Jay… no, no."

Jason's eyes were wide before his whole face twisted in embarrassment and he blushed a deep red, "oh shit, Tim, sorry, shit, oh I just thought the thing on the roof and how nice you've been something else was up."

"Nooo" Jason bit his lower lip "shit."

"I mean, look Jay, buddy, I'm flattered and all-"

"I just kissed a straight guy, didn't I? I'm such an ass."

"No, you didn't kiss a straight boy, just I have-"

"A boyfriend?"

"Boyfriends"

"Boyfriends?"

"As in more than one, at the same time."

"Oh…"

"They know about each other, we're all dating one another."

"Oh… how does that work?"

"You'd be amazed how often I get asked that, we manage."

They sat in awkward silence, both desperately trying to think of something, anything to break the tension now between them.

Tim spoke first, "I didn't know you were gay."

"I'm not gay."

"Um, bi then?"

"Yeah, no one knows."

"Why?"

"I don't know, just, I became Robin around the same time I figured it out for sure, I had a crush on Dick."

"No!"

"Yeah, that's embarrassing, it's part of why I kept the uniform, but anyways, I was new to being Robin, and just, like, when was the last time you saw an action hero kiss the guy at the end of a movie? I felt like I'd be a letdown, you know? And I had this crazy idea that the villains would find out and say shit about it when we fought, which was way scarier than they were. The cops already said shit about the uniform, I could only imagine what they'd say if they found out I like boys."

"Yeah, I know the feeling, for a long time I didn't come out; I pretended to myself that I wasn't scared, that it wasn't any one's business, and that's why I didn't say, but really, I felt the same way, scared of being a letdown as a hero."

"So you are out?"

"Yep."

"What changed? Why'd you tell them?"

"I met two guys who changed my life; they were sweet and funny, goofy but good, and we started up whatever it is we have. One of the first times we went out fighting crime together, one of them got hit by a car, and in my brain I knew he was fine, but my heart? My heart freaked out. I just thought about how I'd have to fake like I was just his friend at the funeral, how I wouldn't be able to hold Bart's hand during that. I told Bruce that night."

"How'd that go?"

"Ha, he acted like I was telling him my shoe size, not only didn't he care at all I was gay, he already knew."

"How?"

"Who knows with him, I was super careful, but you know him, he knows everything. Anyways, that was that, I thought, no fanfare, kinda a letdown to get no reaction really. The next night I went up to the kitchen to grab something before heading home, and there's a little cake on the table, with a note to me from Alfred, and the cake - each of its layers was one of the colors on the pride rainbow."

Jason smiled softly, "sappy old man. How'd everyone else take it?"

"It was back before the demon brat's time, he's got a lot of problems but that's never been one of them. Babs signed me up for every LGBT youth group and book club in the city, Dick kept trying to set me up with boys from his circus camp he runs down at the Y till I sat him down and told him I was in a relationship."

Jason looked at his hands, "I'm still worried about, you know, letting them down."

"Look, Bruce doesn't care, Damian will hate you no matter what, Dick adores you and so does Babs."

"You can never ever tell Dick about that crush."

"Promise. You know what, here's another promise: Damian thinks he's gonna be Batman after Dick, hell he thinks he'll be the second Batman after Bruce some days. Promise me that whatever happens, one of us will be Batman after Dick, that whatever happens, the third Batman is gonna be queer as fuck."

"I'm not good enough to be Batman, Timmy."

"BS Jay, you're the best," Tim stuck out his hand and Jason shook it. "So about your costume buddy…"

After four hours of sowing, goofing off and awkward measuring, they had it. Blue boots up to Jason's knees, black pants up to a dark blue utility belt and a shirt that buttoned with shiny robin's egg blue buttons up at a diagonal up the left side of his chest and across his collar bone with black sleeves down to blue gloves. The mask matched the gloves and boots and they'd dyed the white in his hair electric blue. It was the cape, however, that was the masterpiece: patches of over lapping fabric flowing down to the floor with different shades of blue, ranging from bright blue to dark with patches of highlighting white, like a bluejay's wings.

"So how do I look?" Jason said, twisting around in front of the mirror.

"You look amazing, Jaybird."


	5. Chapter 5

My name was Jason Todd. I was Robin and I died, but that isn't my story.

I've been chasing him for nearly two blocks. I round the corner and nearly trip over the bodies of two cops. Their mouths are twisted up into a horrible, too big smile, and their eyes… their eyes are wide and scared. I jump over them and keep running; I can hear laughter ahead, there's nothing anyone can do for them, the only thing I can do is stop that monster before he hurts anyone else.

Earlier in the week:

"So about your new identity," Tim says to me as he ruffles my hair. I started spiking it, I needed a change to go with the blue highlights. I'm really trying to ignore how much I like it when he plays with my hair. Tim's been really nice about the whole thing. It was the first time I'd ever told anyone I liked them, ok so I just straight up kissed him like an idiot, but whatever.

I felt super awkward but Tim didn't change how he acted, which was mostly good and at moments like this bad, I'm um 'distracted' but his fingers in my hair so I sound like a dork "wha? What do you mean?".

He smiles at me and I fight not to blush because I'm sure he's reading my mind.

"Well Jay, legally speaking… well, you're dead."

He's got that look on his face, the look everyone gets when they have to talk about me dying. Bruce, Dick, Alfred, Babs, Tim, they all get the same pitying look when they talk about it. I hate that look. For me I didn't die, the last thing I remember was passing out in the rubble and then I woke up in a box underground. I got hurt as Robin a few times, a few times pretty bad and that look showed up and went away. Now I worry it'll never go away.

"Yeah, I know, what's your point" I snap at him and feel like an asshole for it.

Tim seems to get it and moves on; damn it why's he have to be so perfect?

"Well, the adopted son of the world's richest man getting blown up by the world's most famous mass murderer since Hitler…. It kinda made the news."

I'm still not getting what he's trying to say so I just look at him.

He sighs, "I'm faking all new paper work for you, a new birth certificate, school transcripts and everything, with a birth year that makes sense, but the media is gonna pick up on Bruce adopting or fostering another Jason Todd, you need a new name."

"Oh, man I really like being a Jason…"

"Your first name won't be too much of a problem, its common enough; it's the last and maybe the middle we need to change."

I think about it for a moment, but I know the only last name I really want. I went around the world to try to find family, but really I was running because I found it.

"Would… Wayne work?"

Tim smiles at me, "not gonna be weird having the same last name as me?"

"I thought your last name was Drake?"

"It is; legally it's Drake-Wayne, though."

"Oh, not weird, I want it."

"Okay, Bruce keeps a few fake distant cousins on file, add your paper work to theirs and fake a car crash, and there we go, you're a Wayne."

Present:

I've backed him into an alley. He's like something out of a nightmare, the wild green hair, the too big smile, the chalk white skin.

"So there's a new junior Bat in town? Where does big batsy find you brats? Was there some two for one sale at the orphanage?" The Joker lets out that crazy laugh of his.

"I'm not new" I said before I charge up the alley at him, jumping to plant a kick on his too big jaw. He's scary fast and stronger than he looks; I land my kick but he's twisted and punches me in the face. I hit the ground and roll; I'm on my feet in no time and out of reach.

Joker wipes a little blood from his mouth, "say kid do I know you? You seem familiar. Were you on that bus of sixth graders I kidnapped a few years ago? No wait there were no survivors hmm… oh what about that pre-school I blew up 8 years ago? Wait the only survivor didn't have any legs afterward. Those robo legs under those blue boots kid?"

I shouldn't listen to him, he does this to throw you off, but two can play that, "I was Robin" I saw that shuts him up "what?" but I'm already down the alley and landed two good punches to the body that knocked him down, before he manages to throw me and I skid before righting myself.

Earlier that night:

"You sure you're up for your first solo patrol tonight, buddy?" Dick asked me, which bothers me more than it should, he means well, but I can handle myself.

"I don't need a babysitter, Dick" and I feel like a jerk for saying it, my eyes going to Tim.

"I like to think of myself as your friend, not your babysitter," he says it with a smile, which is good.

I know why I'm in a bad mood, Tim's boyfriends are here. I want them to be jerks, or annoying or ugly, it'd make me feel better, but they're not. They're nice, and I can't hate them, which makes me hate them. They're also painfully cute, the three of them all together. Bart is buzzing around, his hair is impossibly huge, going in every direction. He's talking a mile a minute about something, maybe a video game or he really fought a troll; I don't know because I'm only getting every fifth word. Tim is smiling at him and I can tell he isn't getting the story either but just likes listening, he leans in and kisses Bart on the cheek and my heart hurts a little. Bart flushes and is gone, then he's back and Tim has a dozen roses. Their other boyfriend, Superboy, lets out a huffy sound and I see a redish blur go around him a few times. I'm not sure what happened but I think Bart kissed him a bunch of times. Tim puts his head on Superboy's shoulder and smiles at him. God they're so cute it makes me sick.

I slip on my mask, "Ok I'm off, Dick have fun on your date with Babs, Tim… you guys have fun too…"

Bart flashes me a thumbs up and Superboy says, "oh don't worry, we will."

Tim slaps his chest playfully, "Kon! Jay, if you need anything just call" but I've already turned my back and I'm half way gone.

Present:

The Clown rights himself and we stand facing each other. "A Robin eh? Lets see, hm, too young for Robin one, too short for Robin three, too flat in that area," he points at my chest "for Robin four, and too big for Robin Five" he stares at me thinking for a minute then a light goes off in his head. "Oh ha, HA! HA! That's great, none of you damn heroes can ever seem to stay dead do you?" He's laughing circling closer to me "Is this what this is all about? New look and everything? Are you here to hunt me down because I killed you? Killed your mommy? Did I make you or something? Ha ha ha ha! You gonna kill me like I killed you? You got a crowbar hidden somewhere so we can do the reenactment? Oh that'd be so good, can imagine the look on Big Bad Batdaddy, he gets you back just to drag you off to jail for killing me?! Hilarious! Come on kiddy what're you waiting for, let's dance!"

I shouldn't listen to him, shouldn't let him get under my skin, but I do. I charge, he pulls a gun, I dodge the round it goes by my ear too close. I'm inside his space, two hard blows to the gut and he doubles over before I get him with an upper cut. I knock him down, and I'm on top of him, my foot stomping down on his hand. He drops the gun and I kick it under a dumpster. I hit him once, twice, three times, over and over.

I grab him, pulling his face close, through his split lip and two black eyes he smiles at me, "do it kid, you know you wanna!"

I shouldn't do this, but I have to, he has to hear it.

"This," I said, pointing between us, "isn't personal." He loses the smile. "This isn't about what happened in Africa, this isn't about what you did to me, or to anyone else. I'm not here for revenge, I'm here because it's my job. Next time I see you I'm gonna take you down like any other one of the crazies in this town, because you're no different to me than anyone else."

"But… I killed you!"

"You didn't do anything to me, you, with your tired freak side show act, don't mean shit to me," I head butt him, hard, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the fact it broke his nose and knocked him out.

I roll him over and handcuff him before I drag him out of the ally and tie him to the first lamp post I can find. That's where I leave him, walking away, and I know the police would be here soon because I can hear the sirens.

My name was Jason Todd, I traveled across the world thinking I was looking for a family I never knew. Really, I was running away from one I'd found and didn't know if I could handle. My Name is Jason Wayne.

I was Robin, and I wanted to be good enough so badly I risked everything to prove it, to myself. I am Bluejay.

I died, but that wasn't the end of my story, I came back, but that's not the start of my story either, death was my intermission, and no one talks about intermission. I am alive.

My name is Jason Wayne, I am Bluejay, and I am alive, that is my story.


End file.
